The Sahara hotel on its final day. The 59-year-old property, on the Las Vegas Strip, opened in 1952. It is where Elvis Presley stayed while filming "Viva Las Vegas" and where the Beatles stayed when they performed in Sin City.

End of an era: The Sahara in Las Vegas closes after 59 years

After a 59-year run, the Moroccan-themed Sahara Hotel and Casino has closed its doors.

Once a hangout for Elvis Presley and the Beatles, the resort was stricken in recent years by the recession. In its heyday, the Sahara was a favorite haunt of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford), and Sinatra performed there. The resort even had a cameo in the original “Ocean’s Eleven” movie in 1960.

In 2007, Los Angeles nightclub impresario Sam Nazarian took over and vowed to reinvigorate the property. But in March, his company, SBE Entertainment, announced that continuing business was “no longer economically viable.”